Famous Foods, Fantastic Flavors

Midtown isn't especially known as a culinary destination for lunch, consisting mostly of generic delis, fast food joints, etc. Fortunately, there are some exceptions to that rule, including Xi'An Famous Foods that is opening today.

With four other locations and a lot of air time on shows like "No Reservations," "Bizarre Foods," and "Food(ography)," Xi'An has become very well-known. So when I saw on their Facebook page that they were doing a soft opening of their new Midtown location this past Thusrday, my co-worker and I ran over there. The line was long, and moving slowly (understandable as they work out the bells and whistles), but it was so worth the wait.

The menu is identical to the other locations, and that goes for the prices too.  Happy to see they didn't jack them up just because of its snazzy locale. 

They took over a space that used to be a Lebanese restaurant, evidenced by the giant oven in the middle of the restaurant.  The decor is minimal and sleek, and there is a little sitting (stools and counters) in the back.

I ordered the Mount Qi Vegetables Hand-Ripped Noodles (N5) and asked for it made medium spicy.  The flavor was incredible, and the variety of veggies was great (and a little surprising...chickpeas in Chinese food?!).  The cashier listed my spice request as "moderately spicy" on the ticket, probably fearing I couldn't handle the heat, and it definitely needed more spice.  So, next time I know to ask for even more!  The hand-pulled noodles were so fresh and had the perfect bite to them. 

I am so excited for this addition to my lunch options and can't wait to go back once the crowds subside.

Congrats to Jason on the opening, and best of luck! 
Xi'An Famous Foods
24 West 45th Street
b/t 5th & 6th Avenues
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AroundTheWorld: Puerto Rico

I was so excited to book a vacation to Puerto Rico - it was going to be a much-needed weekend to get away from the cold NY winter and to do nothing but relax.  It was my first time ever going to the Carribean.  Before that, my experience with the Caribbean was limited to meals at Cuban, Puerto Rican, and Domincan restaurants here in NYC!

We stayed at El Conquistador Resort in Fajardo.  It was absolutely gorgeous, perched up on a cliff overlooking the water, with 7 pools and a private island beach. 

Of course as soon as it was booked, I began checking out the dining options both at the resort and in the nearby town.   We didn't end up leaving the property for any meals, but managed to find some good local fare anyway! 

Medalla with a view - Puerto Rican beer


Local root chips (plantain, yucca, and taro)
with a mango sauce and pico de gallo 

Queso frito (Puerto Rican fried cheese)

Chicken with cassava mofongo 

Tostones (fried green plaintains)

It wouldn't be vacation without a colorful, fruity drink!

We thought it would be nice to do one nicer dinner, so we chose Stingray Cafe.  We got a table on their outdoor patio right along side the marina.  Such a nice breeze and nice setting for a delicious and relaxing meal!

Panko-crusted cod with truffle mashed potatoes and julienned
vegetables in a lobster buerre blanc sauce

Sesame-crusted seared tuna over lentils and asparagus

It was so hard to get on that plane to come back, especially when the pilot announced that it was 32 degrees and snowing in NYC!  But it was a fantastic weekend, filled with great memories, great weather, great beaches, and great food.

A Taste of Modern Luxury: Celebrity Cruises Pops Up in New York City

When I think of dining on cruises, two things often come to mind: 1) buffets and 2) generic steak dinners. Celebrity Cruises not only wanted to break that common notion, but to go above and beyond with the caliber of food that they serve on all of their ships now. They brought on a James Beard-featured chef and became "an industry leader in delivering world-class cuisine and impeccable service."

To spread the word about this high standard of cuisine, they set up a pop-up restaurant as what was donned "A Taste of Modern Luxury: Celebrity Cruises Pops Up in New York City."  I am not an avid cruiser, but I was excited for the opportunity to see what Celebrity's chefs would bring to the table.

We started off the evening with a few drinks in their molecular bar featuring mixologist Junior Merino.  

The Big Apple - roasted apple, cinnamon, xtabentun, Hudson Valley Whiskey, Lemon, spiced apple bitters

Dragonfly - Dainzu Hibiscus, pink grapefruit, lime, Cointreau, aloe vera drink, Russian Standard Vodka, liquid nitrogen Both of these drinks had really great flavors without being over-powering.

Coming Up Roses - Bacardi Razz, lime, Dainzu rose essence, rose petals, Champagne, raspberry rose foam This one was a little over the top and a strange consistency. And it was hard not to end up with pink foam all over your lip and nose when drinking it!

After enjoying the drinks, we then headed over to the main dining room. The menu looked really creative and had some great options.   

Jerusalem Artichoke Veloute

Iberico ham, black trumpet mushrooms, sourdough croutons, and marscapone

Handmade Ricotta Cavatelli
Wild mushroom fricassee, mache, Parmigiano Reggiano, shaved black truffles

Seared Haibut

Salsify, beef oxtail marmalade, brussels sprouts, and parmesan emulsion

Five-Spice Crusted Cervena Venison Loin

Celery root fondant, wilted spinach, red cabbage marmalade, and lingonberry sauce

Warm Pineapple Tart Tatin

Coconut rum ice cream, lime confit, and passion fruit foam

Valrhona Cocoa Cake

Chocolate mousse, peanut butter creme brulee, and salted caramel ice cream

Custards and Strawberry Fields

Everything was beautifully presented and very delicious.  My only complaint is that there were no options for people who are not red meat eaters.  I'm certainly not saying a tasting menu should have a vegetarian option, but even the fish dish had a red meat-based component to it. 

I made the most of the meal, though, and definitely enjoyed all the flavors.  Definitely an enjoyable and eye-opening experience. If this is the type of food to always expect on Celebrity Cruises, sign me up!

Hit by a Mac Truck

Twitter continues to be so good to me.  On my walk to work every morning, I walk west on 47th and pass by prime food truck real estate between Park & Madison Aves.  One morning last week, I spotted a new (to me) food truck parked there, and the name made me smile: Mac Truck.  Creative, straightforward, and a funny pun on Mack trucks.  A whole truck of mac & cheese?!  This I had to investigate. 

After finding their website and Twitter page, I exchanged a few tweets with the owner Dom, asking if he ever has plans to come to 6th Ave during lunch.  To my delight, he told me he was planning on setting up in my work neighborhood the next Wednesday (yesterday).  It crossed my mind as I walked to work past the other food trucks in the morning, but then I got busy with work.  Late morning, I had a direct message from him apologizing for not making it to 6th Ave., but he asked if I'd be up for him dropping off some mac & cheese on his way home for me to try anyway.  That turned into him dropping off 5 huge portions of mac & cheese and 2 orders of fried mac bites for my co-workers and me to enjoy!  Talk about brilliant marketing...a win-win for all of us. :)

I dug into the contaimers with one co-worker.  Then, I took a break to email a bunch of other coworkers, who, one-by-one, came running over to my desk and joined in on the feast. 

Classic Mac & Cheese

Mac & Cheese tasting:

Classic, braised applewood bacon, cheeseburger, buffalo chicken, and pulled pork

plus fried mac bites

Up close and personal with the ridiculous fried mac bites

When I got back to my desk, there were some hilarious replies to the email chain:
"Wow. Also, do you know a Beer Truck guy?"
"I had a lucrative Bernie Mac & Cheese truck years ago but we had to shut it down with his untimely passing."
"So sleepy now."
And my personal favorite: "Shayna just locked up the 'Email of the Year' award."  SWEET!

Huge thanks to Dom for letting us try all of his delicious varieties.  Can't wait to get hit by the Mac Truck again soon!

Mac Truck
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Warm Up in 10 Degrees

If you wander around the East Village/Alphabet City area, you're bound to pass by dozens of dimly-lit wine bars and lounges.  So how do you choose which one to check out?  Well, a few things helped me decide on 10 Degrees when I was meeting a friend for a drink after work. 

1) A really great happy hour: 2-4-1 drinks until 8pm every day, every drink
2) A fun, cozy atmosphere: who doesn't love eating and drinking by candelight?!
3) A food menu with more than the standard bar food fare

10 Degrees had it all.  We ordered a mixed plate of charcuterie and cheeses (any 3 for $21, any 4 for $26).  It was a little pricey for cheese, but unlike a lot of cheese plates that feature miniscule morsels of each cheese, these portions were huge!

Comte de Montagne

Saankanter

Proscuitto San Daniel Reserve

Bresola

 

That's no morsel, that's a giant chunk!

I had never heard of this dish before, but absolutely had to try it. Hard to go wrong with potatoes, cheese, breadcrumbs baked in the oven.

Tartiflette Mont Blanc (with a very eloquent description)

"Savory and rich layers of maple-wood smoked bacon, russett potatoes, and

loads of melted gruyere, eclipsed with a buttery, garlic Pank crusting" 

Great atmosphere and lively crowd

Love the walls covered in wine bottles and exposed stone

10 Degrees
121 St. Marks Place
b/t 1st Ave & Avenue A
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